Coffee Stains and Crowns
by Kippielle
Summary: Princesses must maintain all that they are. Above it all, they are to listen to their parents and serve their people. But a little coffee shop break never hurt anyone. Modern Royalty AU. Sumibanba.


Within the confines of the Hanabusa family's castle, a group of three guards trailed closely behind a girl in haste. Each was sharply dressed with slicked back hair and crisp black suits due to the requirement of their occupation. From attending social gatherings to the occasional walk on the promenade, the uniform was kept the same.

The man farthest behind called out, "Your highness, p-please understand your father is not happy with you." He gulped.

"I am well aware of that," the girl said plainly, "he never is."

She strode down the scarlet carpet gracefully, her movements not at all forced, an upright back and hair swaying slowly. The princess was raised into her family with the utmost attention and respect, but not from her parents. Of course, this was all due to the fact that they were the current monarchs of their kingdom, her grandparents had passed away more than a decade ago. Her childhood was based on etiquette classes, meetings with other heirs, and other such affairs.

Sumireko snapped out of her thoughts as a giant mahogany door almost came into contact with her face. She cleared her throat softly, dusted off her white blouse and black skirt, and nodded to the man standing by the door. He rapped the surface with his knuckles as all those in the hallway straightened their backs and stiffened.

"Presenting, her royal highness," a voice sounded from the other side of the door.

The grand entrance was opened as two uniformed chamberlains simultaneously moved forward. The carpet continued until the end of the hall where two people sat situated on their thrones. Sumireko paced herself slowly, her breath catching from her previous jog, and stared at the king and queen. Though admittedly, her gaze would quickly wander to guards who she would walk past, their stares remained plain and reserved.

The girl bowed. "Sumireko," her father stood up, "Is there a reason for your tardiness?"

"N-no father," she looked up at him.

"I see," he sighed, "do you wish to know why you are here?"

She nodded, "Very well then," he turned his gaze to the people behind her, "if you all would be so kind to clear the room and leave my wife and I to advise our daughter, you would have my gratitude."

Without so much of another word, soldiers and servants lined out of the hall and shut the door. Sumireko folded her hands in front of her, and staring at the ground, she waited for her parents to speak.

"Your tutors have told me of your recent progress," he walked slowly and tried to catch her gaze, "I'm fairly pleased to see you are doing well. But, I am also disappointed to hear of these moments of indiscretion."

She looked up quickly. "Father I-"

"Not another word," his voice was stern, "I will organize for a gathering of sorts, due to this, heirs and nobles will be attending. I do expect you to make conversation, dance, do what must be done. If you find any boys to be of your liking, do not hesitate to contact me, but also do not let your gaze wander to others such as yourself."

"Father, with all due respect, please understand that I mean no harm."

"And no harm will be meant, not as long as your eyes remain away from other heiresses. Sumireko, despite the fact we live in the twenty-first century, such subjects will not be grazed upon. I do not wish to see you gallivanting with some other girl, you will do as your ancestors have done before. I love you dearly, but there are things I cannot protect you from."

Her face turned incredulous, "Are you suggesting that what I do...that it is a danger? I can assure you that it is no different from looking at a man-"

"Enough," the king sat down, "you know very well that there is a difference. Go, I do not wish to hear more of the matter."

She regained her composure, "Thank you for your time." Curtsying, she strode down the hall and slipped outside.

Sumireko steadied her breathing and closed her eyes. When dealing with her parents, every word said was a jumbled mess, very different from her idea of a casual conversation. She was a different person depending on whom she spoke to. By default, she was polite and regal, a side frequently shown due to her association with the royal family. This could have very well been the reason as to why she kept some conversations going while others were cut short.

"Something on your mind m'lady?" One of the guards from before leaned on the wall next to her.

She dismissed him. "I do not want to speak of what-"

"Now now, let's not be hasty! Do you know what method wins the race?" The white haired man inquired.

Sumireko rubbed the bridge of her nose, "The slow and steady perhaps?"

He smirked. "Wrong, the quick do. If it weren't for them being so proud, they could easily win the race. In my sight, m'lady, I see that you are a turtle and your father is the hare. He is getting ahead of himself, but won't you find it in your heart to allow him time to adjust?"

"He won't listen." She moved past him.

"That is why I am asking you to take a chance! You may never get this opportunity again, if you will allow yourself the freedom to do so."

"Sir Kaiba," she turned around, "I appreciate this advice given to me, but I have no use for it. I cannot leave the castle under any circumstances-"

"Without protection. I think it would be healthy, for a girl such as yourself, to get some fresh air. Live a little, let us go!" He interrupted her once more.

Sumireko was taken aback, "My walks along the promenade are scheduled-"

"We won't be going to your promenade, trust me m'lady, an experience outside castle walls will do you more good. We'll have earpieces, as always, my team and I will ensure you a safe little adventure."

She sighed. "Sir Kaiba, I do not wish to upset anyone, let alone my parents."

Kaiba grinned, "My dear lady, you won't be disappointing them at all! In fact, if you will be so kind as to accept my invitation, you may find a boy that you may like." He playfully nudged her.

"That is the problem! My father expects me to do just that."

"Or in fact, it is the solution. I haven taken care of the necessities your royal highness," he laughed, "but please fix yourself. We wouldn't want your informal attitude to reach the public now would we?"

"I believe you have this wrong Sir Kaiba. I have no informal attitude, please understand you are placing me at a point of great distress." Sumireko stared at him.

"Why are you so negative your royal highness? As I said before, you will have a much better time once all your inhibitions are gone and rid of." He replied in a sing song voice. "But please, do get ready, it isn't polite to turn down an invitation. Oh, and dress yourself properly! You might meet a special someone." He repeated.

Sumireko watched him walk down the hall towards his quarters. Her gaze returned forward as she composed herself and moved towards her room.

Although somewhat hesitant, the idea of going outside always thrilled her. Even with multiple guards surrounding her, she enjoyed the feeling of a gentle breeze. She had found that no such wind would reach the promenade in her garden, so she treasured even the slightest gust.

Opening her closet, she lay several articles of clothing out. It hadn't taken her long to put on a white dress coat and rush out the door. Pacing towards a living room of sorts, she reevaluated her situation.

Even with Kaiba's insistence, she didn't feel as secure as she usually would. He was known for his eccentric demeanor and unpredictable behavior, so he wouldn't be her first choice when it came to protection. Regardless, he was her temporary key to freedom, something that she wanted desperately. Even if her parents hadn't approved of this excursion, they were almost always found to be somewhat disappointed in her anyway. The same meeting would occur with them leaving her due to some political affairs, a heart to heart chat was never in proper alignment with either her mother or father's schedules.

She entered the room, "Very well then your royal highness," Kaiba clapped, "I see you're taking this fairly seriously. Shall we?" He grinned and extended an arm.

"I will be having our companions trail a few feet behind, I do not want to attract too much attention. But it can't be helped now can it?" Kaiba looked outside the window.

"That will be fine, thank you Sir Kaiba." Sumireko watched the scenery change through the tinted windows. "If I may ask, where might we be going?"

"A proper promenade," he rubbed his chin, "I understand that yours is within a garden? There will be many people, but they tend to mind their own business, unless you are one worthy of it."

"I hope that I will not," she said, "are there any shops I may go into?"

"As I said before, there are many people that stroll down this area. It's a popular place for shops and stalls, a meal or snack shouldn't be too difficult to find. Was I mistaken in believing you simply wanted fresh air?" Kaiba seemed amused.

"No, no I just," she adjusted her coat as the car came to a stop, "wanted to be sure. In my rush, it seems I have forgotten to get a snack. If it comes to that, I might buy a macaron or two. And Sir Kaiba, if it isn't too much trouble, I would like to request that you maintain your distance as well. I understand that-"

"Of course, I am aware of your preference. While some may not agree with it, I will do as requested. I trust you have my pager?"

Sumireko nodded, "Thank you." She opened the door and wandered away into a fairly large crowd.

* * *

A few minutes passed before the two men in front of Kaiba stood up to trail behind her. Kaiba watched the curious onlookers stare at the car. He leaned back and pulled out his phone, and dialing a number, he crossed his legs.

"Hello? Yes, we've arrived. She's gone off somewhere, her pager contains a tracking device, it shouldn't be too difficult to locate her. It's been quite a while hasn't it? Well, you'll find she is just as polite, if not more. Have fun." He tucked his phone into his pocket and exited the car.

The promenade had been an overall collection of streets near the beach. From name brand stores to frozen yogurt shops, it had most necessities, and then some. Street performers staged their acts for spare change and at the end of each block, a water fountain was decorated with various grasses and flowers. Lights were hung everywhere awaiting the sunset, but there was no sign of the activities dying down anytime soon.

In the center of it all, Sumireko stared at the directory tilting her head. Whether it was due to the fact she couldn't decide where to go, or she didn't know where she was, she hadn't moved for the past five minutes or so. Her attention turned to groups of people whispering, but she quickly returned her gaze to the map and ignored them. She had expected the staring, but some unnecessary comments made her flinch. Comments from everything including talk of her social status compared to those around her were made, but they were brushed off as she kept her head high.

Deciding that staring at the directory would not benefit her, she moved towards a colorful little shop. Looking through the window, she found a display of macarons stacked as a pyramid, each a different color. She entered quickly to avoid the faces of the patrons situated outside. Although the interior had very little space to move, the selection was plentiful and kept behind glass.

"Can I help ya?" A red-head voiced from the other side of the counter.

"Yes, please. Is there anything you'd recommend?" Sumireko bent down as she inspected the different cookies and pastries.

"Ah," she laughed nervously, "the manager doesn't let us eat any of the stuff here unless we pay up. It's pretty expensive here anyway, but don't tell 'em I said that." She winked.

Sumireko agreed jokingly, "I'll be sure not to. But I suppose," she looked around, "I'll have four red velvet cookies and...seven macarons."

"Any kind in particular? I've heard the raspberry ones are good."

"No, any is fine really." Sumireko stood up properly.

Wrapping up the bag, the girl blinked upon properly seeing her patron's face. "By any chance are you...y'know?"

She nodded, "Sumireko of the Hanabusa, nice to meet you." She extended a hand.

"Oh geez," the girl looked around and placed the bag on the counter, "uhm, I'm Haruki. Haruki Sagae." She shook her hand. "Sorry I couldn't clean up, it's not everyday you see royalty around y'know?"

"I'm aware," Sumireko took the bag, "but the pleasure is all mine. Going outside is something I wish I had easier access to. By the way, do you know of any place where I can get some refreshments? I'm fairly parched."

"Well let's see then, what're you in the mood for? There should be a couple smoothie shops around here, though I'd be real careful, this place isn't exactly safe at night. We have a ways to go until the sun sets and all, but anyways, I'd suggest sticking to the shops on the main streets."

"I see, " Sumireko looked outside, "I'll be on my way then, I only have so much time." Haruki waved at her as she closed the door.

The next ten minutes or so had consisted of wandering around the promenade and watching street performers. Once in a while, a store would catch her eye, but she chose not to buy anything. After a while, her surroundings had seemed to die down. The sun was slowly but surely beginning to set. Looking at the shop signs, Sumireko squinted as some were old and worn down, a drastic change from the previously modern and lively stores not a few feet away. Strangely, she felt as if someone had been following her for the past few blocks. She had considered paging Kaiba, but it was decided that this would occur only in the most drastic of measures. Thankfully, a girl with light blue hair was passing out fliers and approached her eagerly.

"Hi there! Would you like to stop by the Anzai Café? We have a wide selection of refreshments as well as snacks that are available. Care to join us?" She handed her a paper.

Sumireko looked around for her guards, "Do you have any beverages in particular?" They were no where to be seen, but the assumed stalker seemed to have disappeared as well, she sighed in relief.

"Well, we're mostly known for our coffee and lattés, but recently we've imported drinks from overseas. We now have tea from the British Isles as well as one other drink," she rubbed her chin, "I believe it was some sort of juice, blackcurrant if I remember correctly. It's a hit with the kids these days." She stretched her back, a loud crack could be heard, and she quickly laughed it off.

Sumireko blinked, "And where may I find this place?"

"Right around the corner, make sure to tell them Suzu sent you. If you're lucky, you might get a discount. I'd be careful if you're getting that juice though, the stain is a real sucker to wash out." The blue haired girl smiled.

"Yes, I remember that from a while ago. Thank you," The shadow seemed to cast itself once more and Sumireko moved towards the shop hastily. At the same time, she felt around in her coat pocket for Kaiba's pager.

She started a jogging rhythm towards the building and though she could not hear anyone chasing after her, something felt amiss. Surprisingly, moving towards the café felt even more strange, a feeling that was unfamiliar but also somehow reminiscent. She'd never seen the building before, it seemed fairly aged, but that may have been due to the effects caused by the surrounding atmosphere.

Sumireko had held her pastry bag in her right hand, and a firm grip was finally placed around Kaiba's pager with her left. Looking behind her, she opened the door. Unfortunately, a girl who had also been in a hurry, was about to trip due to a wooden board that stuck out slightly from the ground. Even worse, she had been holding a cup of coffee and a bottle of blackcurrant, this of which was not closed properly.

The millisecond before the contents spilled, Sumireko caught a glance of her face. The white haired girl had kept her gaze to the ground until she heard the ring of the door opening. Her hair had been a mess as well, white bangs covering her face, but a scar that marked her left eye could be seen. In that moment, a single thought resounded as each girl saw the other.

_You._

* * *

**A/N:** Much trash. Very Nio. Such cry. OTL I tried, I really did. I'm so ashamed / inserts self in trash / I'm not going to lie, I always have difficulty on the first chapters of stories. Most of the time, it's just an awkward jumbled mess, sorry Akuma no Riddle fandom ( ; A ; ) This definitely did not turn out the way I wanted it to, but I suppose that's how things go for me. I kind of feel like this chapter was missing that little something, I only wish I had more to work with, but here's all I have for now. I'd suggest not taking this story too seriously? There's this nagging feeling telling me that everything was bland, but because of a little something that happens next chapter, it hopefully won't be as bad. So if I do choose to continue with this story, please enjoy this short lived era of peace.

Ciao for now~

**P.S. **Before anyone says anything, Sumi pays for her stuff by debit card, you might not notice, but she always uses her fancy dancy princess debit card. No fee remains unpaid, it's disgraceful. Also, bonus points to anyone who can guess the name of the blackcurrant drink. Tumblr was hyped about a British Sumi and it took me way back xD Anywhos, more on that next chapter I guess? I might as well write one then if I'm explaining all this stuff now. . .and this is getting too long and I'm rambling, sorry ^_^;


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